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Question
Who was the first person to model the earth as a sphere?
Who made the first accurate measurement 0f the earth’s size?
When was it done?
Hello,
I am trusting this is not a HW question, as I do not answer those. A good sign here is that you have not allocated the answer to be "private" - which would have aroused my suspicion.
Aristotle was perhaps the first person to conceive the Earth as spherical (I would not necessarily go so far as to use the word "model"). Since Aristotle lived from 384- 322 B.C. it probably occurred sometime around 350 B.C. if not sooner. You can google 'Aristotle' and learn much more.
The first fairly accurate measurement of the Earth's size (circumference) was probably by Eratosthenes (276 - 196 B.C.) and you can find details of his method in any detailed intoductory astronomy text. The time is not at all certain, but likely some time after 220 B.C.
You can google any of the terms, names above to obtain much more information.
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Answers by Expert:
Philip Stahl
Expertise
I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.
Experience
Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.
Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar Physics and Dynamical Astronomy divisions), American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union
Publications
Solar Physics (journal), The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, The Proceedings of the Meudon Solar Flare Workshop (1986), The Proceedings of the Caribbean Physics Conference (1985). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.
Education/Credentials
B.A. Astronomy, M. Phil. Physics
Awards and Honors
American Astronomical Society Studentship Award (1984), Barbados Government Award for Solar Research
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